Nick Knight, the former England opener, had some glowing words for Ravindra Jadeja, praising his all-around skills and the significant value he brings to the Test team. Knight specifically lauded Jadeja’s performance in the 3rd Test between India and England in Rajkot, where he and Captain Rohit Sharma played pivotal roles in rescuing India on the challenging Day 1.
Amidst a tough situation with India at 33 for 3, Jadeja stepped in at No. 5 after Mark Wood and Tom Hartley caused early trouble. Despite the early setbacks, both Jadeja and Rohit displayed resilience, steering India out of trouble with their gritty performances.
Jadeja secured his 21st Test fifty in this innings, forming a robust 100-plus partnership with Rohit. Together, they navigated the challenges posed by the England bowlers on a favorable batting pitch at the Niranjan Shah Stadium. Jadeja’s fifty, achieved in 97 balls, showcased his ability to handle both spin and pace with a calm and assured approach.
Ravindra Jadeja justified the team management’s confidence in him by being elevated to bat at No. 5, a decision that favored him over debutant Sarfaraz Khan.
During the Lunch break, Nick Knight expressed his lack of surprise at Jadeja’s batting prowess and went on to mention that he would include the Indian all-rounder in his World XI for Test cricket.
In Knight’s words, “I reckon, Jadeja is in my World XI as one of the early picks. He gives you everything, the balance that he gives to the side. Also because of his other skills, his fielding, even in Tests. He takes a great catch, more often than not. He is that sort of all-round cricketer. I don’t think there are too many as good as him in the world,” as he shared with Sports18.
JADEJA IS A PROPER BATTER’
Former India spinner Anil Kumble, who served as the head coach of the senior national team in 2016-17, mentioned that the team management holds Ravindra Jadeja’s batting skills in high regard.
Jadeja’s impressive performance in Rajkot, his hometown, further solidifies his connection with the venue, where he maintains an average of 136 with over 1,500 runs in 17 innings of first-class cricket.
Speaking about Jadeja’s batting prowess, Kumble emphasized, “He has been brilliant. Over the last two years, he has been extremely consistent with his batting. We all knew the ability that Jaddu has. He has got a 300 on this ground in first-class cricket. He bats like a proper batter. He is not like a bowler who can bat. He is the No. 1 in the world and he has shown that. He is kind of a floater in this line-up to negate the spin, and he has done that here today. We saw that in the Test Championship, so Jadeja is looked at as a proper batter,” highlighting Jadeja’s valuable role in the team’s batting lineup.
During the second session of Day 1, India surpassed the 150-run mark as Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja found comfort on a pitch that was gradually easing out and becoming favorable for batters.